07-25-2008, 01:58 PM
The Column of Marcian in Istanbul has an inscription that I do not fully understand:
PRINCIPIS HANC STATVAM MARCIANI
CERNE TORVMQVE
PRAEFECTVS VOVIT QVOD TATIANVS
OPVS
This statue of the emperor Marcian
[this I do not understand]
because the prefect Tatius has promised
this monument.
"Torus" may refer to the fact that the pillar is round; it may even be a pars pro toto for column - but what does "cerne" mean? I'm really puzzled.
PRINCIPIS HANC STATVAM MARCIANI
CERNE TORVMQVE
PRAEFECTVS VOVIT QVOD TATIANVS
OPVS
This statue of the emperor Marcian
[this I do not understand]
because the prefect Tatius has promised
this monument.
"Torus" may refer to the fact that the pillar is round; it may even be a pars pro toto for column - but what does "cerne" mean? I'm really puzzled.